Making of an Ordinary Saint , livre ebook

© 2014 by Nathan Foster
Published by Baker Books
a division of Baker Publishing Group
P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www.bakerbooks.com
Ebook edition created 2014
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
ISBN 978-1-4412-2006-6
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations labeled KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.
Scripture quotations labeled Message are from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson, copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations labeled NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com
The reflections on the disciplines were contributed by Richard J. Foster. The biographical portraits at the end of each chapter were contributed by Robbie Bolton. Used by permission.
The author is represented by Creative Trust, Inc., Literary Division, 5141 Virginia Way, Suite 320, Brentwood, TN 37027, www.creativetrust.com .
“Thirty-five years ago, Richard Foster introduced a generation to the spiritual disciplines. Now his son introduces another generation to both the glories and the frustrations of seeking to practice them—to master and be mastered by the craft and art of the spiritual life. This is a book of honesty and hope.”
— John Ortberg , senior pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church; author of Soul Keeping
“I learned a new word recently: self - implication . It was used by a friend writing on participation in the Christian life in which she was concerned not just with being accurate with the biblical and theological content but with being herself implicated in the narration. This is what Nathan Foster has done—written about the Christian life not impersonally and objectively but as a participant. Read this book and find yourself a new companion as you follow Jesus.”
— Eugene H . Peterson , professor emeritus of spiritual theology, Regent College
“Nathan Foster’s The Making of an Ordinary Saint breathes fresh life into the same ancient practices his father resuscitated for millions of ordinary people almost forty years ago. His conversational style and unvarnished transparency make his living experiment inviting for other ordinary saints in the making.”
— Gary W . Moon , executive director of the Martin Institute and Dallas Willard Center, Westmont College; author of Apprenticeship with Jesus
“Delightful . . . simply delightful. Nathan’s reflections on the spiritual disciplines are honest, fresh, and insightful. Read and be blessed.”
— Ruth Haley Barton , founder , Transforming Center ; author of Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership and Sacred Rhythms
“Nathan has a unique voice so badly needed today. He is a storyteller whose raw honesty disarms the reader and allows us to join him, without fear of judgment, on a journey toward an imperfect sainthood. As a longtime practitioner of his father’s classic, Celebration of Discipline , I found this book to be a fresh retelling of the same teachings through a modern narrative. Nathan zeroes in on the internal issues that each of the disciplines unearth and in doing so allows me to see the value of these ancient practices in a new light. The highest endorsement I can offer is this: just like his father’s book did for me thirty years ago, I want, really want, to practice these disciplines. That was Richard’s genius; it has passed on to his son.”
— James Bryan Smith , associate professor of religion, Friends University; executive director of the Apprentice Institute; author of The Apprentice Series
“Nathan shows us that spiritual disciplines are not rigid things to do but invitational experiments, guiding songs, and adventurous romps with God to explore a life of trust. Let’s try them out!”
— Jan Johnson , author of Spiritual Disciplines Companion and Invitation to the Jesus Life
“Smart, informative, invitational, honest, helpful. Those are the words that came to mind as I finished Nathan Foster’s The Making of an Ordinary Saint . With no small assist from reflections by his father, Foster’s book opens the celebration of the disciplines to a whole new generation. This book is at times raw but always loving as Foster tells of his journey of spiritual deepening in the midst of everyday life. You must read this book!”
— J . Brent Bill , Quaker minister; retreat leader; photographer; author of Sacred Compass : The Way of Spiritual Discernment
“Nathan Foster is living with an ache, a space that only God can fill. His book lets us share slow, sometimes painful, grace-filled movements of the Spirit as he explores ancient disciplines and identifies his own awkward resistance to God’s transforming love. He finds worlds of meaning in practical and biblical metaphors: drafting (a biking term) becomes a word for community-building, slavery (as St. Paul unfolds it) a way to surrender fully to God’s will. What an honest, loving, joyful gift.”
— Emilie Griffin , author of Doors into Prayer: An Invitation and co-editor with Richard J. Foster of Spiritual Classics
“Nathan Foster has written a deeply personal and honest story about his own life with God. In doing so, he beckons us to trust that in the midst of our daily life, we too can follow Jesus. With The Making of an Ordinary Saint , Nathan captures the essence of how to go about living in the freedom of God’s unbridled goodness, strength, and care. If you are ready to experience the God who loves you as you are, not as you should be, this is the book for you!”
— Fil Anderson , author of Running on Empty and Breaking the Rules
To Christy, for carrying me when I could no longer walk.
Contents
Cover 1
Title Page 2
Copyright Page 3
Endorsements 4
Dedication 5
Foreword by Richard J. Foster 9
Introduction: Beginnings 13
Understanding Submission 21
1. Submission: Submitting to the Will of Wind and Children 23
Understanding Fasting 35
2. Fasting: Hunger in Dark Rooms 37
Understanding Study 47
3. Study: Practicing My Failures 49
Interlude: Discipline Hazard #1: The Self-Hatred Narrative 58
Understanding Solitude 67
4. Solitude: Souvenirs from the Void 69
Understanding Meditation 77
5. Meditation: Cooking Chemicals in My Head 79
Understanding Confession 91
6. Confession: My Redemption Tour 93
Understanding Simplicity 107
7. Simplicity: The Gift of Boredom 109
Understanding Service 119
8. Service: Can I Be Your Martyr? 121
Interlude: Discipline Hazard #2: My Inner Pharisee 131
Understanding Prayer 139
9. Prayer: Gifts from Bill 141
Understanding Guidance 153
10. Guidance: Embracing the Desert 155
Understanding Worship 167
11. Worship: Responding to the Divine Spark 169
Understanding Celebration 179
12. Celebration: Tattooed Joy 181
Conclusion: Endings and New Beginnings 189
Further Reading 195
Acknowledgments 198
Notes 202
About the Author 206
Back Ads 207
Back Cover 209
Foreword
Throughout Christian history (and even before), there has been a great conversation about the growth of the soul. How is human character formed and transformed? Is it possible for us to grow in virtue? Can we genuinely develop the moral character of Jesus so that we do indeed think God’s thoughts after him? If so, how exactly does this happen? How should we best understand the developmental nature of Christian spirituality? Is it possible to rightly order our love for God in such a way that we can actually make progress forward in the spiritual life? These questions—and a thousand others like them—have been studied and discussed and debated all through the Christian centuries. In one form or another, these matters have been a continuing theme in all the devotional classics.
Think of the writings of Evagrius Ponticus on the “deadly thoughts” and the “godly virtues”—our discussions today about “the seven deadly sins” draw directly from his writings. Or think of Origen of Alexandria and his forty-two stages of the soul’s journey. Or consider Teresa of Avila and her Interior Castle , or Saint John of the Cross and his Dark Night of the Soul . The list could go on for a long time indeed.
I say all of this to underscore the fact that we have a long and respected tradition about how the human personality grows in virtue and in the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. With The Making of an Ordinary Saint , Nathan Foster steps directly into the mainstream of this tradition.
Nathan makes three important contributions to the great conversation about the growth of the soul. First, his insights come to us in narrative form. The vast majority of writings on these themes are given to us in didactic form. Of course, direct teaching is not a wrong approach and can often be quite helpful. Much of my own writings are didactic in character. But Nathan writes to us on the slant, if you will. He tells us stories, most importantly his own story. He leads us on the journey of how he began growing in grace and what his journey can teach us about a continuing with-God kind of life. This stands in the tradition of Augustine of Hippo and his Confessions , of Julian of Norwich and her Showings , of John Woolman and his Journal. Closer to our own day, I thin